


Cross Timbers

by Fangirlxwritesx67



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-24 08:33:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30069528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirlxwritesx67/pseuds/Fangirlxwritesx67
Summary: Dean Winchester x Donna Hanscum, Sam Winchester x Jody Mills, no warnings, mildly PG-rated
Relationships: Donna Hanscum/Dean Winchester, Jody Mills/Sam Winchester





	1. Never Been Camping

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

“You ready Sam? Ladies?” Dean asked.

“Oh yah, you betcha!” Donna exclaimed, swatting his ass playfully as she walked around Baby to hop in the passenger side. 

Sam was already in his SUV, Jody by his side. He gave his brother a broad wave.

“Cross Timbers State Park. Here we come!”

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

It had started one cold night earlier that year. The four of them were at Jody’s in Sioux Falls, relaxing with pizza and beers after a hunt. Sam couldn’t remember how they had gotten on the topic, maybe joking about making dinner in the fireplace.

Dean had begun to wax eloquent about the best parts of camping: cooking around a campfire, fishing, and of course, tent sex. Donna was nodding along eagerly before Sam scoffed. 

“That’s your favorite part of camping, Dean, really? The closest we’ve ever gotten to camping is sleeping in the Impala in a field somewhere when we didn’t have any place else to go.” 

Dean looked down and shrugged sadly. “Ok, so maybe I’ve never been camping. But it always sounded like fun.”

“Never been camping?!” Donna’s mouth dropped open. 

“Oh, boys,” Jody chimed in. “We have to fix this. There are so many great places we could go, either here or in Kansas.”

“We could show you such a good time!” Donna added with a giggle. “But not right now. It’s too cold right now to sleep any place but my own cozy bed.” 

It turned out that the bed in Jody’s guest room was cozy enough for Donna, especially once Dean joined her there. Sam didn’t mind, though, since he was in Jody’s own bed with her.

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

Sam and Dean had long since forgotten the camping conversation, but they soon discovered the ladies had not. In early April, the two of them began to hint in the group chat that the four of them should go camping. It took no time at all to realize it was less a suggestion and more a coordinated campaign to rope the Winchesters into camping. 

The ladies were pleasantly surprised when it didn’t take that much effort. Sam and Dean knew better than to argue with the combined power of Jody and Donna. They knew they were outsmarted in the camping department, but they were eager to learn, to try the experience. 

Jody and Donna had already determined that state park was the perfect camping spot. Remote enough to have plenty of trees, hiking trails, and water for canoeing or fishing, but still with a certain amount of running water and facilities for drinking and basic hygiene. 

Dean immediately appointed himself in charge of meal planning, because of course he was. Sam started researching camping equipment and gadgets, digging out back issues of magazines and shopping on Amazon. The group chat was busy for weeks while the four of them planned and prepped.

The ladies rolled into town and spent one night at the bunker so they could all shop and pack before heading out. It took a surprising amount of gear to go off-grid, tents and sleeping bags and more. Donna brought an air mattress, although Dean laughed and assured her they would be fine roughing it. They packed their clothes in canvas duffels: jeans and button downs, hiking boots and sandals, and of course, swimsuits.

Dean brought his guitar and fishing tackle. Sam brought a book, a notebook and new pens, as well as several boxes of unidentified tubes and pipes. 

“So many years after college and still a nerd, huh, big guy?” Dean joked when he saw it. 

“I don’t get much time to do what I want, whatever I want,” Sam retorted. “I’m not sorry I’ll be reading in a hammock while you drink beer and dangle a line in the water and call that fishing.”

“Hey, at least if I’m successful, we have something to eat.” 

“Everyone finds their own happiness.” Donna interrupted with a grin. “You boys ready?” 

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

Cross Timbers State Park was about 4 hours away, and the afternoon sun was still warm and bright when they pulled up. They rented adjoining camping spots, patches of clear level ground amidst the towering trees. There was a firepit already set in an iron ring, and the first thing the Winchester brothers did was haul the two picnic tables to either side. 

After that, they took a moment to ward the site, putting salt and sigils on every corner to keep themselves safe. Once done, they returned to the picnic tables where Jody and Donna were setting out supplies. 

Dean, as head of meal planning, reminded everyone that dinner that night would be in Donna’s hands. She had requested a list of sandwich supplies. She went to one of her bags and pulled out a set of sandwich making irons.

“These good old irons will make the best Pudgie Pies you ever tasted!” she crowed. 

“Pudgie Pies?” Sam whispered to Dean.

“It’s sandwiches and a campfire, I’m in,” he answered out of one side of his mouth. 

The two Winchesters left the ladies prepping food while they headed to opposite sides of the joined campsites to set up their tents. Their initial research into tent dimensions had been shocking. So-called “two person” tents clearly didn’t take into account one of those people being well over 6 feet.

In the end, they bought a pair of tents, each of them marketed to sleep six. Each tent seemed to have almost enough room for a couple, their duffels, and the Thermarest sleeping pads that Jody brought.

Sam spent a few minutes studying the instructions and then laid out the interlocking frame poles and nylon tent body exactly as directed. He understood the directions, but even with his reach, he couldn’t quite do it himself. Without him asking, Jody stepped to his side.

“It’s easier together,” she said as she took the opposite corner of the tent. 

The tent rose between their hands, and they staked it down securely. He arranged the bedding, rolling out sleeping bags and pillows, then stacked their bags neatly against one corner of the front wall. 

The tent had a small awning over the door, a space for them to kick off their shoes. Jody had brought a sun-bleached rag rug that she laid out right there. It was no bunker, but for a temporary habitat, well, he had seen worse. Once he had everything staked down, he looked across the campsite. 

Dean’s tent was a tangle of nylon on the ground. He was holding poles in both hands and swearing, the instructions nowhere to be seen. 

Sam started to close the space between them. “Can I give you a hand?” he called.

“I don’t need a hand!” Dean shouted, before throwing down the poles. “I’m gonna go get … water!” He stormed off into the deepening twilight. 

Sam followed the same steps he had before, but once he had the ridgepole assembled and in the tent, he called for his brother.

“Dean, I need help.” No matter how much Dean protested that he could do things by himself, he would never dream of letting his younger brother down when he needed him. Together, the two Winchesters finished setting up the second tent. 

Just in time, because Donna called from beside the fire, “Oh boys! Time to make Pudgie Pies!” 

Packages of ham and turkey were open alongside a stack of American cheese and a loaf of bread. There was mayonnaise and mustard, pickles and tomatoes too, Donna demonstrated how to coat the irons with cooking spray before layering in the sandwich makings, while Jody stoked the fire. 

A couple of sandwiches were burned in the process, but ultimately, everyone had dinner. They opened beers from the cooler and settled into folding chairs around the fire and passed around a bag of potato chips. 

“Hey you know what this needs?” Dean spoke up. “Ghost stories!” 

Everyone nodded enthusiastically, so he gave it his best shot. He opted for a classic, the hook hand in the car door. Somehow he managed to fumble it, much to the bewilderment of his audience.

“Dude,” Sam cut in. “How can you be so bad at this? Our lives are a ghost story. You literally could’ve told me how you spent your Monday morning and it would’ve been scarier than that story was. 

Dean looked to Donna and Jody for support but they shook their heads as Sam continued.

“You want a horror story? How about you in the morning, no coffee, no bacon, no nothing.”

“No nothin’?” Donna chimed in. “Now that I’d like to see.” She held out her hand with a smirk, and Dean took it. 

The four of them were comfortable together, Dean and Donna, Sam and Jody. This was a rare moment of ease for them, no one worrying about anything, just enjoying one another. 

But camping was a new thing for the brothers, still a whole different experience. They let the fire burn down and then everyone brushed their teeth at the pump out in front of their campsites, downing meds with handfuls of the metallic water. 

Sam and Jody ducked together into their neatly organized tent, leaving their shoes outside on the rag rug under the awning. That night, just being together was enough. They held hands and whispered to one another until they drifted off to sleep.

Dean and Donna tumbled into their tent, kicking their shoes off as an afterthought. They were too tired for more than sleep. But sleep eluded them. Well, it eluded Dean. Donna settled in comfortably and drifted off. But he tossed and turned on the hard ground.

By Dean’s watch, it was past midnight when Donna woke up and nudged him. 

“Still awake?” 

“No, I’m fine. I just – can’t sleep.” He hated to admit it. 

He was a hunter, after all. He had been to heaven and hell and back. Damned if he would be beaten by a thin foam sleeping pad. But the front seat of Baby was more comfortable than this sad excuse for a bed. 

Without speaking, Donna got up. Dean reached for her but she was too quick. He heard the door to Sam’s SUV open, and then a motor running. He drifted in and out of a drowsy sulk until he heard her voice calling him softly in the dark.

“Dean,” she called from the door of the tent trying to wrestle in a giant air mattress. He got up and helped her to bring it in, lifting their sleeping bags and pillow on top. 

“Really?” he asked, his voice rough from trying to sleep.

“Okay, sure, Princess,” she answered with a giggle. “It’s me that can’t rough it, not you.”

“Hush,” he told her as he settled down and held out one arm. She sighed happily and curled into his embrace. Finally, for the first time all night, Dean was comfortable. His eyes grew heavy, and he yawned. Then he fell asleep with Donna’s blonde curls against his face. 

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _


	2. Another Thing to Like About Camping

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_  
 **  
**Dean hated camping. He hated tents, and Thermarest sleeping pads. The only thing he didn’t hate was Pudgie Pies. And Donna, and that blessed air mattress that she procured in the middle of the night, finally allowing him a few hours of blissful sleep.

Not that he would admit it. 

He also hated trying to make coffee while camping. He walked to the pump for water and then lit the gas camp stove to heat it and then loaded the grounds into the french press. What ever happened to a good old motel coffee maker or cup of gas station joe?

Then he looked up. On the opposite end of the table from where he was making coffee, a raccoon was perched, sorting through the scraps of dinner from the night before. Dean screamed, and so did the chubby trash panda. Dean reached out and grabbed the nearest things at hand -a pie iron- and brandished it at the little thief. 

Sam popped out of his tent, already dressed in running gear, gun in hand, ready to protect his brother. He had the good sense not to say anything as he watched Dean face off against a raccoon. 

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

Sam turned and set the gun down in his tent while Dean chased the little thief out of the campsite. He was stretching for his morning run when Dean came back, checked the french press, and leaned back against the picnic table. Their eyes met, they nodded, and that was all they needed.

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

When Sam came back from his run, the whole campsite was alive with action. There was a blazing fire in the fire ring and everyone was drinking coffee from blue enamelware mugs. Both eggs and bacon were hot on the camp stove. 

“Hey, been waiting for you, big guy!” Dean joked, a happy grin on his face. “Did you manage to outrun the wilderness?”

“Did you ever get rid of that raccoon?” Sam teased back with a lopsided smirk.

Donna laughed out loud, while Jody pretended to hide her smile behind her coffee cup.

“I didn’t know you could fence like that,” Sam continued. “Can you teach me?”

Dean clapped his younger brother on the shoulder, hard enough to make his coffee slosh, before settling back into his seat by the fire. He gestured to the empty chair.

“Hey, I made breakfast, and that coffee you’re enjoying, Sammy. Sit down.” 

The four of them lingered around the fire while the sun rose high in the sky. Light filtered down through the trees in wide shafts, warming the air and kissing the rocks with gold. Finally, Jody and Donna exchanged a look.

Jody stood up, hooking her thumbs in her pockets. “Well now, boys, I think you have … fishing and such. Leave us girls be, here.” 

Donna hopped to her feet, too. “Yah, go on now, shoo.” She gestured with her hands as she spoke. 

Dean opened the back door to Baby, and pulled a fishing pole and tackle box off the seat. “Wanna go catch some fish?” he asked Sam as he shut the door carefully. His shoulders were relaxed, his smile wide. 

“Nah.” Sam shook his head as he closed the back door to his SUV. With an eager look on his face, he held up a cardboard box with tubes poking out of the top. “I want to try building this hydration system. I’ve been studying up on it for weeks, ordered all the parts online. I can’t wait to see how it works. Have fun, though.” 

Dean rolled up the leftover breakfast eggs in a couple of tortillas and wrapped them in foil before tucking them in his shirt pocket. Sam tossed a couple of protein bars in his box. With one last smile, the brothers headed off in opposite directions. 

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

Jody and Donna gathered up towels and shampoo before heading in the direction of showers indicated on their park map. The bunkhouse was rustic, stalls open to the sky, but the water was hot. Once they were clean, Donna dressed in a light sundress, while Jody put on yoga pants and a tunic top. 

Back at the campsite, they built the fire back up and settled down. Donna went to one of the coolers and pulled out a pack of White Claw. 

“100 calories!” She held one out jokingly, striking a pose, pretending she was in an advertisement. 

Jody laughed and shook her head. “I know we’re taking it easy and not living by the clock, but isn’t early?” 

“Hey, it’s after noon. The boys are having fun, the girls can too!” Donna raised her can in a mock toast. Her smile was warm as the sun. 

Jody shrugged before heading to another cooler. She got out vodka and tonic water, pouring them together into an enamelware mug. 

“Really, Jodes?” Donna protested. “It’s vacation! Treat yourself!”

Jody smiled, her dark eyes crinkling, before she pulled out a ziploc bag of lime slices. She squeezed one into her drink with a flourish, raising one eyebrow in Donna’s direction. “There you go. Fancy!” 

The two of them sat side by side, talking, relaxing, basking in the sun. It was rare for them to have down time like this. No responsibilities, no monsters. They knew the Winchesters were nearby and they savored the moment, feeling safe and happy.

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

The sun was still bright but low in the sky when Sam and Dean returned to the campsite from opposite directions.

Sam greeted his big brother with a wave. “Hey, man, I don’t see any fish.” 

Dean looked around before he retorted. “Oh yeah, well, I don’t see any water.” 

“Do you want to come see the gravity powered water filtration system I set up below the falls?” 

“Hell no.” Dean was cut off from saying more by the press of Donna’s lips on his, as he slipped his arms around her. 

“Ready to make dinner, Champ?” she asked, tugging him towards the picnic table. 

Sam pretended to ignore the two of them as he walked over to Jody. He held out one hand without speaking, and she took it. 

“Show me what you’ve been up to?” she offered, smiling softly and getting to her feet. Their fingers laced together as they left the campsite, headed towards the sound of running water. Sam gestured eagerly with his free hand as he began to explain.

Jody listened with interest as he showed off every tube and mechanical bit. When he cupped clear water into his hands, she drank from his palm. It tasted a little like minerals, clean and stone-cold. 

Then he set a collapsible water jug under the stream to fill with filtered water. 

While it filled, he talked on and on. Finally, Jody reached for him and silenced him with a kiss. He was caught off guard, speechless. She tugged him down to sit on the stones that bordered the stream. She pulled up her yoga pants and he cuffed up his jeans. They dipped their feet into the flowing water. 

Jody leaned her head on Sam’s shoulder. It was still a new experience for her, but not unwelcome, to be with a man who made her feel so safe. He slipped his arm around her waist before he turned and kissed her again. 

Beautiful, he also made her feel beautiful. It had been a long time since Jody felt so good, relaxed and warm and loved. The sun was setting when Sam stood up and tugged her to her feet. He reached for the carrier, now filled with several gallons of water. 

“Let’s head back, hm?” She lifted her face and kissed him. “See how Dean and Donna are going on dinner?” 

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

Back at the campsite, Dean and Donna were busy at the picnic table, but it had nothing to do with dinner. She had her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs crossed around his waist, while his hands tangled in her long blonde hair, tilting her mouth up to his as they kissed.

“Ahhhem.” Sam made an exaggerated throat-clearing sound that almost not quite covered his smirk.

The two of them pulled apart languidly, not the least ashamed at being caught. Dean held out one hand and helped Donna to her feet before he gestured to the foil packs on the table as she spoke. 

“We, uh, got dinner ready.”

Jody shook her head with a bemused look at Donna. “But the fire has to be built up and then burn down to coals, nah?” 

“Oh yah,” Donna answered. “Oh shoot, Dean, what’ll we do now?” 

Dean darted a look towards his brother.

“Uhhh,” Sam thought quickly. “You know, the meal I was going to cook tomorrow is easy. Let me cook tonight and we can grill tomorrow.

“Oooh, your big surprise dinner.” Dean tilted his chin up, challenging. “What is it, Sammy, kale smoothies? Rabbit food salads?” 

“Actually…” A dimpled grin crossed Sam’s face. “Mac and cheese. And I brought the marshmallow fluff.”

Dean burst out laughing. 

“I’m kidding. I’m not three anymore. But I did buy the good stuff.”

“Kraft?” Dean exclaimed as Sam held up the familiar blue boxes. “I’m really surprised you didn’t buy some kinda Annie’s gluten-free crap.” 

“Hey, you’ve had Annie’s and you liked it.”

“Wasn’t the worst,” Dean mumbled. 

Sam continued, undeterred. “Sit down, and let me cook for you for once.” 

Jody hurried to his side. “Let me help you, Sam.” 

He turned and kissed her full on the lips. “I know I’m no great cook like you or Dean. But I think even I can handle this. Sit down, relax.”

While the water heated on the camp stove, Sam got out bottles and ice: Margarita mix for Donna, whiskey for him and Dean. For Jody, he packed something special: everything he needed to make a Cosmo, including cranberries already skewered on toothpicks. He took one and perched it on the rim of her mug. 

“Really?” Jody smiled up at him as she took the drink, her fingers lingering around his. “You know I’m not a fancy kinda gal.” 

Sam’s face was soft, his eyes locked on hers. “I know, but you deserve a treat now and then.” He lowered his mouth and kissed her. 

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

Dinner was quick and easy, but satisfying. Sam opened a can of green beans, and Dean got out the hot dogs. The four of them lingered around the fire long after the simple meal was done, drinking and talking on into the night. The four of them had more than their lifetimes’ worth of stories to tell. But they were stories of fighting, of blood and loss. 

Instead, they talked about good things from the past, happy memories shared with family and friends. They laughed as they recalled moments early in their respective relationships: Dean and Donna’s trips for donuts or burgers, Sam and Jody’s movie nights. 

As the stars came out, Dean got up and fetched his guitar. Donna moved her chair closer, her knee brushing his, as he played and sang, classic rock and slow blues songs. Donna had a golden voice that blended well with his low rich one. 

Sam and Jody listened for a long time before Sam took a turn with the guitar. He picked out songs without words, quiet and dreamy. Jody rested her chin on one hand, watching him, and he smiled fondly when his eyes met hers.

The four of them lapsed into comfortable stillness. The fire had burned down to embers, warm and low. The forest was full of soft nighttime noises, rustling and murmurs, and somewhere an owl called. Donna was sitting on Dean’s lap, resting her head against his shoulder as the two of them whispered back and forth. Sam was holding Jody’s hand, stroking her fingers with his thumb, watching her face in the fading firelight.

Donna yawned, and Dean smiled. 

“Bedtime, love?” he asked. His green eyes shined bright as she looked at him and nodded. She stood up and slipped an arm around his waist. Arm in arm, they walked to their tent. 

Sam lifted Jody’s hand with his for a kiss before standing up. Carrying the guitar over to Baby, he placed it on the backseat and locked the door. “Don’t want to hear what raccoon bedtime music sounds like,” he joked. 

She laughed then, head back, mouth open, eyes crinkling at the corners.

“Shhhhh.” Sam pressed a finger against her lips before his mouth closed on hers. The last notes of her voice still echoed off the trees as she hummed into his kiss. 

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

In Dean’s tent, a small electric lantern hung from the center ridgepole. Bare in the narrow beams of light, the pair below were both golden and freckled. Dean was strong power while Donna was all soft passion. As he rose over her, his hands tangled in her blonde curls and hers roamed his body. The air mattress dipped and bucked under their movements. The pillows stifled their soft moans.

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

In Sam’s tent, he lit a few short candles in tall glass holders, filling the tent with flickering shadows. He pulled Jody to face him, side by side on the stacked bedding. He murmured endearments as he pressed kisses over her neck and then lower. She whispered his name as she pulled him closer. The two of them were perfectly matched, moving in sync. They breathed hard as they sought and found one another in the darkness.

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_  
  
Tent sex, Dean thought as he drifted off to sleep. That was another thing he liked about camping. 

_/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_


	3. Memories of Camping

/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

Jody woke up early the next morning. She reached out and grabbed Sam’s discarded flannel from the night before. She pulled it over her shoulders, wrapping herself in warmth and the smell of him. She bent down and brushed a kiss to his lips, and he murmured her name in his sleep, before she slipped out of the tent. 

She made a pot of coffee, enjoying the cool morning air and the sunlight warming her bare legs. She chopped apples, getting them ready to mix into oatmeal with cinnamon and brown sugar. She was bending over to tend the fire when she heard a low voice right behind her. She stood up and saw Sam striding towards her.

“Good morning,” she called softly. 

“Well, it’s definitely a good morning for me.” A smile creased his face, pushing dimples into his cheeks. He held out his arms and she slipped into them, leaning in for a kiss. 

“Where are you headed so early?” she asked. Her fingers slipped under the waistband of his shorts, and then down over the curve of his ass. 

“Well, I was going running,” he murmured. A mischievous glint lit his hazel eyes. “But I can think of a more enjoyable way to get some exercise.”

“Oh yeah?” Jody sighed, as his lips trailed over her jawline, down her neck, and towards the buttons of her -his- shirt. 

“Let me show you.” He tugged her back towards the tent.   
/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

When Sam and Jody exited the tent, hand in hand, he started. Next to his SUV was- what? An inflatable slice of pizza almost as tall as him. He blinked, and it was still there. He shook his head and decided to figure it out later. 

Dean and Donna were lounging by the fire. They had helped themselves to oatmeal, and coffee, and made more coffee. Sam and Jody got their own mugs and bowls before they sat down too. 

Dean waited until they were settled to speak. “So, what should we do today?”

“I thought we could hike?” Sam spoke up with an eager look on his face. 

Dean laughed as he took a big gulp of coffee. “Didn’t Jody give you enough of a workout? Do you two need more time in your tent?” 

Sam rolled his eyes at his older brother before turning to Jody with a smile and a soft kiss. 

“Today we should go to the lake. We’ve got the pizza float,” Donna chimed in. 

Sam’s eyebrows went up, furrowing his brow. “The … pizza float?”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t see it.” Dean gestured back. “When we went supply shopping for this trip, Donna just insisted that she needed it.”

“Stuff you, Dean,” she sassed back, dimples popping in her cheeks as she grinned. “You’re the one who loves pizza.”

“I love you,” he answered with a kiss. “

Well, the lake sounds good to me,” Jody spoke up.

“Oh, yeah.” Dean returned to the moment. “I already went to the store down at the park entrance, got some ice. We can pack the cooler full of beer and snacks.” 

/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

Everyone changed into swimsuits. Jody insisted on sunscreen all around before they headed out, the boys carrying chairs and the cooler between them. She had the towels, while Donna wrangled the pizza float. 

The lake was a short easy walk away. Tall trees opened onto a sloped beach, pebbles mixed with gritty sand. The lake itself was wide and clear, sun sparkling bright. A gentle breeze swept waves across the surface, stirring the air damp and cool. In the distance, ducks paddled on the water, quacking softly. 

The four of them dropped everything on the sand and headed straight for the water. Sam and Dean jumped in headfirst, racing each other to some invisible point far out in the lake. Jody and Donna waded in more slowly, but the water was warm and inviting, and they soon joined the boys. 

In the lake, they were weightless, free. The worries of land slipped away, leaving them to enjoy the embrace of sun and water. The four of them stayed for a long time, talking and laughing and splashing. 

Finally, Sam and Dean headed towards shore. They settled into their folding chairs and cracked open beers. Both of them looked out across the lake where Jody and Donna had their arms on the pizza float, heads together in conversation. 

“Looks like trouble for us.” Dean chuckled.

“They’re the best damn thing that has ever happened to us and you know it,” Sam responded, scoffing. Dean tipped his beer wordlessly towards him in agreement. Both took a long cool drink, savoring the moment. 

Finally, Dean spoke again.“You know, it’s not quite the toes in the sand vacation I envisioned.” 

Sam looked at his sweating beer with a mock sad face, turning down the corners of his mouth. “And sadly lacking in umbrella drinks.” 

“Hah!” Dean turned to look at his younger brother. “Anyway, I’m happy. I think you’re happy. For two fucked up ex hunters, we have it pretty good.” 

Sam met his gaze with a bright, genuine smile. “We have each other. We have Jody and Donna. Yeah, I’d say I’m happy.” 

Before the chick flick moment could drag on, the aforementioned ladies splashed in from the lake, dragging the pizza float behind them. 

Once they dried off, they opened the cooler. Both took beers before digging into the snacks. There were crackers and pretzels, hummus and different kinds of cheese, green olives and red grapes. Everything was cool and tasty.

The four of them splashed in and out of the lake, basked in the sun, sat around talking, ate, drank, and ducked into the water again. The sun was golden bright, low in the sky, before they gathered up their things and headed back to camp.

/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

Dean built a fire while Donna made sure the grill packs were ready to go. Sam and Jody hung around making sure dinner got into the coals. Then they left, hand in hand, to refill the collapsible water jug from Sam’s stream-fed irrigation system. 

The sun was sinking behind the trees, filling the campsite with golden bands of light, before dinner was ready. Everyone felt the chill of evening on sunwarmed skin. 

Sam pulled on a lightweight running shirt, while Jody returned to his button-up flannel. Dean grabbed a soft henley. Donna had the coziest solution of all: wrapping herself in a blanket, tossing the ends over her shoulders. 

Around the fire, they ate and drank, laughed and talked. That night they didn’t have to worry about anything else. They just enjoyed the moment. 

The fire had burned down to embers again when Dean cleared his throat. “You know, I think I might take Donna for a drive in Baby, show her where I’ve been fishing.” 

“Ooh, yeah,” Donna cooed, running her fingers through Dean’s hair. “You got something to show me?”

Dean winked at Sam before he turned his attention fully to her with a deep warm kiss. 

/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

Dean drove in silence, Donna’s hand resting on his thigh. It took moments to arrive at the spot where he had been fishing the day before. 

The moon shone a silvery path from the dark sky onto the deep water. He put the car in park and rolled down the windows. Donna snuggled up against him.

“Oh yeah,” she breathed. “This is nice.” 

“Just you and me, sweetheart,” he answered with a suggestive tilt of his brows. “Alone, together.”

She didn’t need to hear any more before she landed in his lap, pushing his shoulders back against the car door.

/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

“Hasn’t Dean been walking to the fishing spot?” Jody wondered, back at the campsite.

“Well, yeah,” Sam answered, as if it was obvious. “But he’s not gonna take Donna out and make love to her on a splintery old dock.”

“Oh. OH.” Jody’s big brown eyes widened. 

“Sex under the stars,” Sam continued as he reached out, and she slipped her hand into his. “Sounds nice, doesn’t it?”

“Until you mentioned splinters,” she retorted. 

“Wait.” He got up and took the blanket that Donna had discarded and spread it over one of the picnic tables. Then he sat down on the bench and held out his arms. Jody slipped eagerly into his embrace before he pulled her onto his lap. 

The moon and the stars in the velvet dark sky seemed to hang low over the trees. Kisses and whispers drifted into the night. Everything was close and stripped bare and perfect. 

/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_

It was long past midnight. The chorus of night sounds had settled to the whisper of running water and the occasional enthusiastic frog. Somewhere close, an owl hooted gently, keeping watch. 

Jody was in a camp chair, Sam at her feet beside a low but warm fire. He leaned his head on her knee as she gently stroked his hair. 

Dean and Donna drove up, holding hands as they got out of Baby. Her curls were more riotous than usual, his hair soft and all on end. They settled in a pair of chairs. 

For a long time, everyone was still and no one spoke. Eventually, Dean got up and went to the cooler and handed out beer all around. 

They were still again, enjoying the moment, when finally Donna spoke.“S’mores?” 

Sam laughed, actually laughed out loud. Of course that was what this moment was missing. Never mind that it was well past 1am. Never mind that he and his brother were grown men. What a camping trip needed was s’mores. 

He got up and dug around until he found the basics: marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers. Jody appeared at his side with long roasting sticks. 

Dean stoked the fire higher before he settled back into his seat. When Donna came up to him, he cupped a hand under her ass and then pulled her onto his lap.

Some marshmallows were burned to a crisp and others were toasted perfectly. More chocolate was eaten than made it onto graham crackers. They stayed up long after the snacks were gone, poking the fire now and then, casting a burst of sparks upward. 

Sam gathered the blanket off the picnic table and settled on the ground, his back against a cooler. Jody sat between his knees, her back against his chest. He wrapped her in the blanket and held her close.

Sam and Jody, Donna and Dean - they deserved so much more. But for one night, under the light of the stars, the Winchesters were happy. They would hold on to that moment as long as they could. Afterwards they would treasure the memories of their camping trip at Cross Timbers. 

/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_ _/\\_


	4. Under the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is explicit - sex and sexy stuff that wasn’t in the main story. I wrote a gen fic but couldn’t get this idea out of my head. The visual of Jody in the moonlight was just too appealing.

“Sex under the stars,” Sam reached out a hand towards Jody, and she wound her fingers in with his. “Sounds nice, doesn’t it?” 

“Until you mentioned splinters,” she retorted. 

“Wait.” He got up and took the blanket that Donna had discarded and spread it over one of the picnic tables. Then he sat down on the bench and held out his arms. His body language was relaxed, his movements broad. It was rare for him to be this comfortable. Jody loved to see it. 

She stepped between his knees and he pulled her close. His hand slid up alongside her face, cupping her cheek with his palm as his thumb caressed her jawline. Their kisses were slow, languid, taking their time, enjoying every touch and taste and texture of one another. 

Jody pressed in closer, grinding up against Sam where he was already hard. “Want something?” Her teasing tone couldn’t quite cover the desire in her voice as she rubbed shamelessly against him. 

“Look at you, my love.” His eyes were bright as he gazed up at her. “Who wouldn’t want you? Those big dark eyes, that dazzling smile, legs for days and curves in all the right places. Not only that, you’re smart, tough, did I mention sexy?” 

His dimpled grin lit his face and she couldn’t help but smile in response. 

“Only to you, Sam.” She wound her arms around his neck and silenced him with her mouth on his. 

“No, wait,” he murmured. He shifted his long legs so one thigh was between her knees. “There you go.” He encouraged her as she settled down on him. “Isn’t that better?” 

She hummed in agreement as she began to move again, grinding down on him in a slow steady rhythm. 

His lips met hers again as his hands dropped lower, easily unbuttoning the plaid flannel of his she was wearing. “C’mon, beautiful,” he begged softly. “Take it off, let me see you.” She shrugged and let the shirt fall over her shoulders and land on the ground. 

Underneath she was wearing a dark cotton yoga bra. Sam reached in to cup her breasts. The weight of them fit perfectly into his hands, his thumbs nudging her nipples to attention. Her skin was velvety soft, old stretch marks silvery pale in the moonlight. 

“Look at you,” he whispered. “Gorgeous and mine, all mine.” Then he lowered his mouth to her, pleasuring her with licks and kisses. His fingers trailed after his lips, keeping up the pressure with little flicks and twists and squeezes. 

Jody moved steadily, her breath coming in fast panting gasps. Sam slipped one hand down between her legs, giving her just a bit more friction.

“Ahhh.” Her lips trembled, dark eyes widening in surprise. “Ahhh, Sam I think I’m gonna - ohhh!” 

“Good, so good, coming so pretty for me.” Sam praised her though the soft orgasm that swept over her. He continued feather-light touches to her breasts as he lifted her bra back into place. 

Jody’s arms wrapped around his neck, pulling his head to rest against her chest, listening to her racing heartbeat. She ran her fingers through his hair softly, waiting until she could catch her breath. 

“Please,” he murmured after a long moment. “I want you so much.”

Jody nodded and stepped away so Sam had room to rise to his feet. He took his time straightening the blanket again on top of the picnic table before patting it with one hand. 

“Up here.” The words sounded commanding but the tone was an invitation. 

“RIght here? Out in the open?” Jody looked up at him, her face scrawled with questions. 

“Only if you want to. But there’s no one in any of the nearby campsites. Dean and Donna, I have a feeling, will be occupied for a while. And I’m not overly worried about the raccoons, are you?” 

Jody laughed, and allowed him to take her hand and help her up onto the picnic table. While she settled back on the blanket, he peeled off his shirt and jeans. He leaned over her, lips trailing from her mouth over the angle of her jaw and down her neck. He paused for just a moment at her breasts again and then continued lower. He dragged his lips and tongue across the soft skin below her bellybutton, right above her jeans, as he undid them with eager fingers. 

“Besides, you should see the way you look in the moonlight.” He kept talking as she lifted her hips and let him ease off her pants and panties. His hands and mouth followed the denim down, lavishing attention on the soft skin of her inner thighs, before he looked back up. 

“Your skin is almost glowing, and your face - shit, you look like a statue in a museum, a queen or a warrior. I just want to see you, all of you.” 

He swung up on top of the picnic table and settled over her, straddling her hips. She held his shoulders back so she could look him in the eye.

“Sam, don’t tease. It’s not nice.”

“I would never, Jody, I mean every word. You’re amazing and I want more of you, all of you.” If the earnest look on his face wasn’t enough to convince her, the kiss that followed surely was. 

After several minutes he pulled away and murmured against her puffy lips. “C’mon, open up for me.” She obeyed, letting him explore and taste her mouth as she slipped her arms over his shoulders. At the same time, she spread her knees, allowing Sam to press into her where she was warm and ready for him. 

Their bodies fit so well, moved so naturally together. Sam continued to whisper endearments and praise between kisses as he set a slow steady pace. She returned to the steady rocking motions she had been making earlier.

For a time, that was enough, but as her breathing quickened, Jody wrapped her legs around Sam’s, pulling him in and holding him even closer. He groaned a little as she tightened around him. Her back bowed up, pressing her body against the length of his, and her head tipped back as she felt tension wind up inside of her. 

He kept encouraging her, urging her on, pushing her higher. He watched her face, watched her orgasm wash over her like a wave, and listened to the way she moaned and cried so softly, until finally she called out his name and relaxed. Her eyes fluttered open and locked straight on his. 

The look on her face, pleasure and pride and satisfaction all at once, was the last straw for him. He couldn’t hold it together for another moment, and he let go, trembling inside and around her.

They clung to one another, panting and close, for a long moment. Slowly they became aware of the chill night air on their sweat dampened skin, of the fire slowly dying in the background. Sam rolled to one side and stood up, walking naked across the campground. He returned with a pack of baby wipes that had already come in handy more than once on the camping trip. The two of them helped one another clean up before they pulled on their discarded clothes. 

When Jody pulled the flannel back over her shoulders, she winced uncomfortably. 

“What?” asked Sam teasingly. “I made sure there were no splinters?”

“No. I think I got sunburned a little on the lake today and the blanket made it itchy.” 

“I know you’re no girly chick, but surely you have lotion. Get some, and I’ll put it on your back.”

When she returned with aloe after-sun lotion, Sam was sitting on the picnic table and had rearranged the blanket once more so that Jody could sit easily on the bench between his legs. He applied the lotion gently, careful of her sunburn, massaging her skin with sure even strokes. 

Jody didn’t think she could get any more relaxed, but Sam had a way of making her feel so at ease. It was delightful, not only the sensation of his touch, but the awareness and caring that went into it. Around him, she could let out a side of her that she normally kept locked away for protection, the feminine, vulnerable, sexy side of her. 

She spent her life alert, always watchful, always prepared to help and defend. Feeling safe and sheltered like this was rare. Sam was the one person who could consistently give her this space to let her guard down and just be. 

When his hands slowed over her shoulders, she turned to face him. “Now let me return the favor!” she insisted. 

“I’m not sunburned,” he replied, a quizzical look on his face before he bent down to meet her lips with hers.

“No, let me rub your back, too. Come here.” She stood up gracefully, taking his hand in hers and tugging him to follow her. She settled in one of the camp chairs by the low fire. Sam took a moment to add more wood and make sure it caught. Then she directed him to sit on the ground.

He folded down easily, sitting at her feet. She massaged his shoulders with firm strokes. He often felt as if he carried the weight of the world on his back, but under her capable hands, he felt that burden lift. He was far too used to other people that he had to protect, to watch over. 

Jody was a rare woman who could hold her own, keep pace with him, stand on her own at his side. He wanted to protect her, of course, but he didn’t need to. When they were together, they both felt at home. The trust that they shared allowed both of them to be freer, to enjoy their bodies, and to savor the little moments. 

He rested his head on her knee as she ran slender fingers through his hair. Neither of them said anything, they didn’t need to. They just sat in companionable silence, in the comfortable safe space they had made for themselves with one another. 

Together they watched the fire, watched the flames dance and the sparks ride currents of smoky heat up towards the treetops, rising so high that they were indistinguishable from the stars. 

***


End file.
